DEFRA issues guidance to businesses affected by 2020 F gas service bans

Under UK and EU legislation, a ban will be coming into force on 1 January 2020 that will prevent refrigerants with a global warming potential greater than 2500 being used to service or refill refrigeration or freezer systems, with a refrigerant charge size of 40 tonnes of CO2 equivalent or more.

UK enforcement bodies, the Environment Agency (EA), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Northern Ireland’s Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) have jointly produced and endorsed a leaflet which provides guidance for businesses affected by the F-gas regulation. (Please see attached)

The ban is less than a year away now so it is important the leaflet is shared soon, to ensure small businesses in particular are aware of the implications and the actions they need to take.

ACIRB notes that from 2020 there will be a ban on the use of refrigerants with a GWP of 2500 or more in new stationary refrigeration equipment, except that intended for application designed to cool products to temperatures below – 50 °C . From 2020 there will be a ban on the use of refrigerants with a GWP of 2500 or more for service and maintenance of refrigeration equipment where the charge size is greater than 40 Tonnes CO2 equivalent (approximately 10kg of R404A). There are exemptions for military applications and or systems intended to cool below ‐50°C product temperature. Until 2030 the use of reclaimed and recycled R404A for service and maintenance is allowed.  Due to the difficulty in policing where R404A will be used it will be likely that mainly reclaimed R404A will be available in the supply chain. Whilst this guidance note relates to R404A, as it is the most prevalent gas used in refrigeration applications, the comments also apply to all refrigerants with a GWP>2500. These include R507, R422A, R422D, R434A and R428A but these are unlikely to be available as reclaim in any significant quantity.

Download the leaflet here